Stockpiling reloaded ammo vs. stockpiling components

[dragon813gt]

Meh. I had some of each until it flew off my truck and into the Mississippi River.

I hope all your evil firearms and reloading tools went w/ them. Can't have that stuff in your new home. After all, you have to keep your children safe.

[tygar]

I actually do both. I have 4-5k of each of the standards 9mm, 40, 45, 5.56, 308, 06 plus fair amounts of stuff I shoot a lot.

Then I have large amounts of powder, primers & bullets.

The loaded stuff is for the bugout/war & components for shortages.

[spfd1903]

This is a great topic. I load and cast for 9 pistol calibers and 7 rifle calibers. Before starting to hand load, I always saved all my brass, and with range pickup, and sweep ups from a LE range, gun shows, etc., I have tons of brass(Except .30-30 Win). Hard to project what future calamity would necessitate a bug out. Already discussed with select neighbors and the adult children about distributing duplicate caliber firearms and ammo during an upheaval. Meanwhile I plan to continue casting and loading until the brass supply has diminished. good food for thought!

[owejia]

Have several thousand loaded in common calibers plus components to load several thousand more. Plan on casting and powder coating several thousand boolits this winter for long term storage. Can never have too much money in the bank or to much ammunition on hand, I sleep easier at night knowing this.

[knobster]

Good thread! I tend to enjoy casting/reloading more than shooting so I have plenty of components to keep me busy for a least a year without making additional purchases. As far as all the reloaded ammo, well, that's what the reinforced concrete shelves are for.

[km101]

I keep a large stash of loaded ammo because I shoot frequently and don't want to have to load hurriedly before I go to the range.
So I have a few thousand of each handgun caliber that I shoot, and more in .223 and .308. I only have a few hundred in most of the "hunting" calibers but I can quickly assemble more if needed.

But I have a LARGE amount of all the necessary components on hand in case of another shortage. I try to keep a balanced supply, but plenty of each as far as the ammo to component ratio goes.

Bugging out is not an option for me. I cant be more than a month's supply away from a pharmacy or hospital, and neither can my wife, so I will have to hunker down and ride it out, whatever "it" may be. So plenty of ammo and even more components.

[dakotashooter2]

Components give you a bit more flexibility in the long run. I try to stay heavy on shotgun/pistol powders because I can also use them for cast bullet rifle loads. Loaded ammo makes some sense if you have many guns in the same caliber. If one gun breaks down you just move on to the next however it also limits you if you have to scavage for ammo. In handguns have 380, 9mm, 38/357, 40 cal, 41 cal and 45 caliber. If my 380 breaks down I won't have 1000 rnds of 380 I can't use or have to break down to reload one of the other cartridges. Since I shoot mostly cast even if I have extra boolits of a caliber I don't have in service I can melt them down and recast something I can use. If I run out of small pistol primers I can utilize the components I have on hand and produce ammo for the cartridges that use large pistol primers. The downside is if I need a lot of ammo fast I'm not gonna have it. But If I need that much ammo at one time chances are I'm probably not gonna survive even if it was available. If the SHTF it is likely that one of the first things I do is split up the stash of components and distribute some to backup locations so I can stay mobile.

[cbrick]

I always get a chuckle out of people planning to "bug out". I wonder how many of them would actually end up in a worse place than they bugged out from. (unless of course they live in downtown Detroit or Chicago). If it's the gubment they plan on bugging out from just where do you think you'll go that there isn't at least as much gubment? If they want you that bad they aren't going to send a meter maid to knock on your door. Probably a safe bet that it won't be the local traffic cop either. I have more loaded than I could shoot before a rocket from a helicopter 5 miles away turns the whole pace into a crater.

Most of my supplies are components simply because what I am shooting this year is different than what I was shooting last year and probably different than what I'll be shooting next year. What could be the point of turning all supplies into this years ammo? I recently ran across a loaded box of 35 BB, I haven't had that rifle in 20 years so it's a good thing I didn't turn all my components at the time into that wildcat.

Rick

[youngmman]

I always get a chuckle out of people planning to "bug out". I wonder how many of them would actually end up in a worse place than they bugged out from. (unless of course they live in downtown Detroit or Chicago). If it's the gubment they plan on bugging out from just where do you think you'll go that there isn't at least as much gubment? If they want you that bad they aren't going to send a meter maid to knock on your door. Probably a safe bet that it won't be the local traffic cop either. I have more loaded than I could shoot before a rocket from a helicopter 5 miles away turns the whole pace into a crater.

Most of my supplies are components simply because what I am shooting this year is different than what I was shooting last year and probably different than what I'll be shooting next year. What could be the point of turning all supplies into this years ammo? I recently ran across a loaded box of 35 BB, I haven't had that rifle in 20 years so it's a good thing I didn't turn all my components at the time into that wildcat.

Rick

Or bug out to nowhere and end up in a government camp where they will confiscate weapons and ammo in exchange for food and a place to sleep for your family. I'll stay where I am and if I have to go it will not be gently.

[waksupi]

When the bug out comes up, so many say, well, I'll just head for the mountains. What makes you think you are wanted in the mountains? I don't want you. If really hard times hit, and you haven't already been living here, and learned how to survive in the mountains, you are pretty much signing your own death warrant.

[Forty Rod Ray]

Never enough ammo, never enough water....

[TheGameMaster]

I tend to just hoard components, but mostly just to cover me if there is a major shortage again. And when see something in stock that I could use, I'll buy it and keep it in my stores. I was blessed the last shortage, as I had an adiqute stash of primers and powder. I only reload for: 7.65x53 Argentine (1), .380 (2), 9mm (2), 327 Fed. Mag. (1, also load 32 S&W Long for her), .357 Mag. (1, also load 38 Spcl. for her), 40 S&W (1, also load 357 SIG and 9mm for her), 10mm (1, also load 357 SIG and 40 S&W for her), 45 ACP (1), and 12 gauge (1). I own other guns, but these are ones I reload for. Of these, my wife carries one of the .380s, so it's never used. The .357 is our nightstand gun, so its never used. There isn't anywhere near to us to use the 12 gauge, so its never used. And I carry my pink 9mm so it gets used a lot . I have coffee cans full of once fired brass for everything I load. I reload and cast for 9mm just for fun, and to give it away to friends. Yet I do have a small stash of factory on hand simply to have them in case I am in a hurry to get to the range and am short on something I didn't get reloaded in time. When I go to the range, I normally just shoot my 10mm, 327 Fed. Mag., 9mm, and my Argentine. I usually shoot 357 SIG in my 10mm more than anything else I reload for. Its easier to spot the 357 SIG brass if there are a lot of other shooters around. I keep about four of the 100 round boxes loaded for each caliber, so no real hoarding of loaded ammo. Just enough to go shooting once a week or so for about two hours.

Bunny Trail: But I really love the 327 Fed. Mag. It still boggles my mind that it didn't take off, as its more powerful than 357 Mag., smaller, and is more accurate with a better BC then 357 Mag. If people looked at the science, it should blow away (pun intended) 357 Mag. I think the main reason everyone but Ruger (they still make a GP100 in it) dropped it is the factory ammo was so freakishly expensive. I thought 10mm and 357 SIG were bad, but 327 Fed. Mag. was just mind blowing as to how a cheaper cartridge for the factory to load was so much more expensive than everything else (except maybe 50AE & 500 S&W) retail. $40 a box for the cheap "practice" ammo is just silly. I found some on sale for $27.99! While 38 special runs $23 a box.

Rodney

[Bonz]

I always thought that storing loaded ammo was safer than storing components. And then I read a few articles where people were talking about their house catching on fire and the firemen refusing to try to put out the fire because of all the loaded ammo going off. So, I just store some of each

+1 on never being able to carry enough loaded ammo in a bug out bag. But its certainly easier to carry some loaded ammo than carrying all my reloading equipment, components, brass, etc… Yep, my wife and I will stay at home and tough it with the rest of you guys...

[jlucke69]

I only load in the winter, so I try to keep a year's worth loaded for range trips. Everything else is components. Since I share powders and primers between multiple calibers, it is more flexible to leave it in component form. When times were tight recently, it was easier to swap components I had extra of for ones I was short on. I have also been known to decide I have been hoarding and selling a load of components turning them into another gun.

[dragon813gt]

I always thought that storing loaded ammo was safer than storing components. And then I read a few articles where people were talking about their house catching on fire and the firemen refusing to try to put out the fire because of all the loaded ammo going off. So, I just store some of each

SAAMI has a lengthy video of them burning up pallets of ammo. It doesn't cause much risk in a fire. A round needs to be contained in a chamber to build up pressure. The fireman have more to worry about when it comes to propane tanks and all the chemicals we store in our homes.

[Psypher]

It would be wise to retain components unloaded to trade to those with other calibers for wshtf.

[BrassMagnet]

Have several thousand loaded in common calibers plus components to load several thousand more. Plan on casting and powder coating several thousand boolits this winter for long term storage. Can never have too much money in the bank or to much ammunition on hand, I sleep easier at night knowing this.

There was just a nice haircut for Cypriots with too much money in the bank.
I'm told our haircut is coming to a bank near you soon!

[Gator 45/70]

The only time that a man has too much ammo is when he's trying to swim with it.

[TXGunNut]

I've increased my inventory levels of components in recent months. I've never run out but I got a little concerned this time. I don't keep much ammo around, a little is probably more than I'll need in an emergency anyway. Reloading is good therapy; bad day at work-reload/cast, GF gets stupid-reload/cast, politicians get stupid-reload/cast, neighbors get stupid and bug out-reload/cast.
For the bug-out crowd; do you really think those folks that live in remote areas want you to invade their homes? Do you think they may have guns & ammo and a right to defend their homes? Do you realize they are quite familiar with the lay of the land and will have the homefield advantage?

[bushboy]

there was just a nice haircut for cypriots with too much money in the bank.
I'm told our haircut is coming to a bank near you soon!

truth